Inclement Weather
by Rulisu
Summary: Take one jaded homicide detective, one sociopathic suspect, add lies, deciet and one dead gay stripper, throw in some rain for flavor and what do you get?
1. Prime Suspect

Oi!

Who's up for another round of Axel sexiness?  
I know I am!

So I've been doing a bit of self-evaluation and I've decided that it's time to exercise what my friends have deemed a "gift" for writing "some seriously morbid shit".

Those of you with weak stomachs need not apply.

I'd also like to say that this is the first time I've made one of my darker stories public in any way, and I'm scared shitless to do so. Half of you probably already think I'm a freak.

But whatever...please, no flaming.

And don't leave a review calling me 'sick', 'twisted' or 'fucked up'.

I really hate it when people point out the obvious.

Disclaimer: There's no way in hell Disney would sell me any rights to Kingdom Hearts. Especially not after what I'm about to do to it. Not that I blame them.

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"**Prime Suspect"**

The streets were slick with a few rains clouds' pathetic attempt at a downpour, the buildings along it dark and uninviting. A few stragglers from the 5 o'clock rush to get home still walked along the dirty sidewalks, the soles of their shoes scratching, scuffling and sliding across the wet cement. It was the dead of winter, as anyone could tell from the heavy coats and scarves donned by people on the streets, and sunset had come early, though it was completely eclipsed by the dark clouds. The outlines of the graphite billows had been tinged pink that evening with the last remnants of a blazing sunset. Beautiful in the simplest of ways to anyone who saw it, though Detective Axel Crowley hadn't been among the awe-struck sky gazers. He'd been locked up in his office all day, and for most of the evening, pouring over paperwork and wishing to god he'd gone to med school like his parents wanted him to. Being the one to sew people up and send them on their merry way seemed a much better alternative to being the one to find them, a week or more out, rotting in a pool of coagulated blood. As if desperate to break the deafening silence in the cramped space, the phone on Detective Crowley's desk began to ring. A high, shrill tone that always brought a scowl to Axel's face.

"Homicide, Crowley speaking." he said into the phone lazily, too tired to give damn about sounding professional. The voice on the other end was a woman's. Though it was mechanically dulled and distorted, Axel knew it belonged to Kairi, the Chief's receptionist.

"Axel?" her voice quivered with something far more than fear or respect every time she spoke to him.

"Mmm." Axel grunted into the phone, spreading a few sheets of paper out on his desk for comparison.

"You're still here?" she asked. Axel resisted the urge to snap at her for her seemingly endless stream of stupid questions.

"I answered the phone, didn't I?" he settled for something less harsh, and with fewer choice words.

"Uh yes, well..." she began. Axel rolled his eyes as she struggled to keep her libido in check long enough to spit out whatever pointless news she had for him. "Uh... the Chief wants to talk to you." she stammered.

"He couldn't call me directly?" Axel mumbled, still looking over papers.

"Actually, he's on his way to your office. I just thought I'd let you know." Kairi shook. Axel groaned silently and pushed the tip of his pen into the soft wood of his desk irritably.

"Thank you, Kairi..." he sighed, not waiting for a response from the girl as he set the beige plastic receiver back in it's cradle. Axel sighed deeply and muttered to himself as he began pulling the papers into a stack, reaching for another unsorted pile. The wooden door of his office swung open with a creak. Thanks to one of Kairi's many pathetic excuses to talk to him, Axel didn't even have to look up from his work.

"Evening..." he sighed, making large 'X's over chunks of text on his paperwork. The chief of the Twilight Town Police Department strode into Axel's office and sat on the edge of his desk. Axel stared at the man's ass where it invaded the personal space of his paperwork, clad in khaki. "Can I help you?" he demanded.

"Actually, I was hoping I could help you." said the chief quietly. Axel's eyes darted across more papers as he continued his work.

"Do tell me how you plan to do that..." he muttered.

"By sending you home. You look like a fuckin' ghost." the chief observed. Axel chuckled darkly.

"I don't see how that's any of your business, Seifer." he murmured, on a first name basis with the chief.

"It's not. But I'm the chief of police, and you're my underling." Seifer smugly pointed out. The chief of police possessed what Axel would have, under any other circumstances, perceived as a Napoleon Complex. But Seifer was anything but short. Axel had decided his boss was just like every other boss out there, an asshole. Nothing 'complex' about him.

"I have work to do, Ostroff." Axel told the chief, letting his 'underling' comment slide for the time being. Seifer nodded, looking around Axel's cluttered office.

"You can do it at home or tomorrow." Chief Ostroff mumbled. Axel stopped writing and stared up at the man.

"Why the hell do you want me gone so damn bad?" he questioned. Seifer shrugged. At that moment, Kairi appeared in the doorway, barely dressed as always, seeming a bit surprised to see that Axel was still there. Suddenly it clicked. Axel scoffed, disgusted.

"Right..." he said, gathering a few stacks of paper and cramming them into his briefcase. "I'll leave." Axel pulled on his black trenchcoat and shoved his police-issued .50 magnum into it's holster.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Seifer called as Axel extinguished the light in his office, ushering the two intruders out, and heading down the vast tile hallway. Axel didn't even so much as wave as he pushed his way through the double doors of the TTPD headquarters building. Not that it mattered much. He wasn't even halfway down the hall when Kairi was undoing his boss's belt with swift, thin fingers. Axel wasn't much for morality, as his track record more than proved, but he couldn't help feeling a twinge of remorse for Seifer's wife. _"I hope she's at home right now, sucking off the neighbor..."_ he thought to himself as he descended the concrete steps, his dress shoes sloshing in the leftover puddles.

It was still drizzling as Axel began his walk to the bus stop, having lost his car to a defaulted loan a few months ago. The tiny drops of water landed on his hair, a beautiful shade of red, pulled back into a ponytail at the base of his neck. It slid slowly down his face, caressing the twin purplish scars beneath his eyes that he'd had since childhood, the sick joke of the neighborhood asshole kid that always felt the need to pick on pale, awkward kids like Axel. For a while, his were the only footsteps, then a second pair joined the clatter. They were louder and slower than his. Axel had walked with his head down, staring at his feet as he trudged since he was a kid, but now he looked up. Not ten feet away stood a woman that wasn't particularly pretty in the face, though a head of matted black hair half hid it. She was thin. Too thin. The result of cocaine addiction, an eating disorder or both. Her clothes were tight and her skirt even shorter than Kairi's, and the shoes she wore... the soles of Axel's feet hurt just _looking_ at them.

"Hey..." she smiled at him as he came to stand beside her, under the sign that said "Designated bus stop". Axel ignored her. "What's your name?" she asked slowly, reaching out to tug a bit on Axel's sleeve. Axel wanted to say "I'm a cop" and get her off his case, but then again...

"You always work near the bus stop?" he asked. The woman laughed softly, though the sound grated on Axel's ears.

"I work where I can." she said honestly. It was cheesy smalltalk, though there was a hint of pain in her deep voice. Axel turned his head to better look at the woman through strands of fiery hair that had loosed themselves from his ponytail. He noticed now, up close, that the woman had shining blue eyes, so pretty that they almost shouldn't have belonged to a hooker.

"You wear colored contacts?" he asked. The woman smiled.

"They're natural." she said. "So is the black hair."

"How the hell does that happen?" Axel asked, looking back out at the rain-slicked street.

"They call it 'Black Irish'." the woman said casually, still holding onto Axel's sleeve. Axel nodded, not looking back at her. "So..." she said in a voice that Axel now realized was accented, though he couldn't place the origin. "How long has it been since you've felt the touch of a woman?" she whispered seductively, pressing her lips to Axel's neck. The touch made his skin crawl, and he pulled away, cringing.

"That's not really a great sales pitch." he said. "Not many men like being reminded of how they can't get any."

The woman frowned, but continued to push herself into Axel's personal space.

"But that's the point...they can get some." she whispered, pushing her shoulders forward, making her breasts perk up. Axel glanced over. They _were_ rather nice...

"How much?" he sighed after much deliberation. The woman smiled softly, pressing herself to Axel's side even harder.

"That depends..." she whispered. "What do you want?"

Inwardly, Axel groaned.

"Head." he shrugged. The woman giggled.

"15 should cover it." she said. This time, Axel frowned.

"You're worth more than that." he said. The woman seemed taken aback.

"You don't even know me." she said, as if Axel's statement had been meant as an insult.

"True." he reasoned. "But you're still worth more than that."

"Fine... 20." said the prostitute. Axel chuckled. It was clear he wasn't going to get through to her.

"Whatever." he muttered. The prostitute grinned, pulling on Axel's sleeve, leading him away from the edge of the sidewalk. "In an alley?" Axel asked as she pulled him into the darkened space between two buildings. "You don't think that's a cliché?"

The woman ignored him and began unbuttoning Axel's black work pants, gripping the zipper. Axel's hand covered hers, stopping the motion. The woman was already on her knees in the puddles and filth, and she looked to Axel with those shining eyes.

"What?" she asked, irritated that she'd been interrupted.

"I want to know your name first." Axel mumbled. The woman scoffed.

"Tifa." she grunted, pulling again on Axel's zipper. His hand still stopped her.

"Your real name." he said, knowing that prostitutes rarely told men they serviced their birth names.

"Alena." the woman sighed.

"Pretty name." Axel whispered. Alena ignored him and tugged on his zipper once more. Axel didn't stop her. The head wasn't that great, not that Axel expected much, though her mouth was wonderfully warm on so cold a night. When he'd finished, he handed her a 50 dollar bill, hoping to get his point across. He's not sure it worked, as Alena shoved the bill into her shirt quickly as if she thought Axel's generosity was an accident. Axel stepped out of the alley as the bus was pulling up to it's stop. _"Convenient."_ he thought, climbing aboard the brightly lit bus. He looked out a fogged window and saw Alena step from the dark alley, brushing herself off, pulling the wrinkles out of her shirt. He scoffed quietly, not sure if he felt more sorry for her, or himself.

The ride back to his apartment was dull and irritating. Axel was the only person on the bus, save for a teenage girl in ripped up, baggy jeans and an oversized black t-shirt. She spent the whole trip arguing with her boyfriend on her cellphone. Axel was glad when she got off a few blocks before him. When the bus squeaked to a stop, it's hydraulic brakes protesting loudly, Axel climbed off and back into the humid, cold night. He trudged up the stairs of his apartment building, hearing muffled arguing and music through the doors that lined the corridor. Stepping into his apartment, he clicked on the light, revealing only a couch, television set and refrigerator in the kitchen. He tossed his coat and briefcase onto the couch, pressing the button on the blinking answering machine.

"You have three new messages..." chirped the electronic voice.

"Hi Axel! It's me again, Aerith." said a woman. "I uh... was just callin' back. Wasn't sure if you got my other messages, you never returned my call...anyway...call me." Axel shook his head, cursing the drunken night he'd given his phone number to a one night stand. He jabbed at the faded blue button.

"Message deleted." said the voice in the box.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Crowley, this is Janie calling from Compass Bank." began yet another woman. "I'm calling to inform you that there have been several returned checks on your bank account and that could result in inst-..." Axel cut the message short, muttering 'kiss my ass' as he waited for the last one. The machine again informed him that the message had been successfully deleted.

"Hey, it's Xig. Call me back." came a male voice in a short message. Axel stopped removing his shoes momentarily and stared at the machine. Xigbar was an old buddy of his on the police force in the neighboring town of Hollow Bastion. If it was important police business, he would have called Axel at the precinct. Most likely he just wanted to go tie one on with an old friend from the academy. It could wait till morning. Axel pulled off his shirt as he walked down the hallway. Once in his room, he removed his pants as well, throwing both pieces of clothing into a corner. He collapsed on his bed and turned on the TV, it's bright blue glow dancing off the metal of the antenna on top of it. Sighing, Axel reached into his night table and pulled out a prescription pill bottle. He removed the cap and shook three little blue tablets into his palm, popping them into his mouth and swallowing them dry. They'd been given to him after a mental breakdown he'd had over a year ago. Something about post-traumatic stress as a child. Whatever the case, they were meant to keep Axel from dreaming, and they worked incredibly well. Axel hadn't had so much as a flash of a dream in a year. He claimed he was still nervous at work so the doctor would keep issuing refills. He wasn't one to be addicted, but he loved those things. Axel hated dreaming, and he could never fall asleep, and they were potent sleeping pills. Axel turned on the news and they hadn't even made it to weather when he went out like a light, snoring lightly into the lonely dark of his room.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

The shrill ringing of the phone on Axel's night table broke the still silence of the early morning. He groaned loudly into his pillow, reaching blindly for the phone. He knocked the cordless phone off it's stand and onto the floor, swearing loudly, he reached over the side of the bed to pick it up, the sheets falling off his naked body. The cold of his apartment hit his skin and he scrambled to pull them back over his chest as he hit the "talk" button.

"What?!" he snarled into the phone, not caring who was on the other line.

"Mornin' princess." came a smooth voice. Axel's mind was too fogged with sleep to remember who's it was.

"Who is this?" he grunted, his voice hoarse.

"Your partner, jackass." said the voice. "Holy shit, you're still asleep, aren't you?" it asked.

"Well I _was_..." Axel corrected. There was a static rush of air as Axel's partner scoffed.

"Fuckin' deadbeat..." he said.

"Hey, blow me." Axel retaliated.

"Oh baby, don't tempt me now." said his partner sarcastically. "Get your ass up man, we got a stiff."

Axel groaned, covering his eyes and most of his face with his free hand.

"Of course we do." he mumbled.

"It's a real fuckin' treat, too. Just wait till you get here." his partner chuckled maniacally, knowing full well how badly Axel wanted to roll over and go back to bed.

"Where exactly is 'here'?" Axel asked, sitting up, trying to will his eyes into opening. His partner gave him the address. It wasn't too far down the road, but Axel didn't even want to leave his apartment. "Alright, I'll be there." he groaned.

"Fantastic." chirped his partner. "Oh and Axel?" he asked.

"Yeah what?" Axel mumbled, cradling the phone between his shoulder and the side of his head as he pulled on a pair of pants.

"Try to remember that I take my coffee black." his partner said smugly. Axel swore out loud. It was _his_ turn to get the coffee. It'd be a long walk to work after all.

"You take it black, huh? Like your men, Zexion?" he quipped, having to get that last bit of cynicism in there to start his day.

"Fucking eat me." replied his partner. Axel chuckled, the wheels in his head slowly creaking into motion.

"I'll be there." Axel said into the phone.

"Yeah." said Zexion. "And hurry. Forensics is already on their way."

Axel didn't bother saying goodbye. He pressed his thumbnail into the "end" button and tossed the phone onto his unmade bed. It was already a long day and it hadn't even started. What was worse, he'd have to deal with the forensics team when he got to the scene. In all his years as a homicide detective, he'd never met a forensic _anything_ that wasn't a know it all, smartaleck twat. The ones that responded to the scene were always the worst. They always had to have their heads up the asses of the cops and detectives, throwing in their two cents where it wasn't wanted or needed. At least the ones in the labs were tolerable. Axel sighed heavily as he slipped a flask-sized bottle of vodka into the pocket of his trenchcoat. He was gonna need it.

The woman at the gas station where Axel stopped to get the coffee was a rude bitch, not that he wasn't used to it. But that of all mornings, he was hoping for a reprieve on this one. He filled Zexion's cup to the rim with searing hot black coffee, deciding not to mess with him by adding cream or sugar. He paid for both cups and headed out the door, walking slowly in the overcast. He glared up at the gray clouds as if daring them to rain as he pulled his jacket tighter around his body, guarding against the frigid, wet cold. It seeped through his clothes, clinging to every inch of his skin. By the time he arrived at the address Zexion had given him, he was worse than miserable.

"There you are..." said his partner as he reached out for the steaming cup of coffee in Axel's outstretched hand. He took it and sniffed the opening in the lid. "There better not be cream in here..." he warned as he took a sip. Axel drank his own coffee as he watched, waiting for his partner's approval. "Alright so you're good..." Zexion nodded, sighing after a long gulp. He motioned with his head to the building in front of him. "He's in there." he said.

"You're not coming in with me?" Axel asked him. Zexion shook his head 'no', his eyes closed in bliss as he sipped the hot drink.

"I need some fresh air." he sighed.

"How many weeks out do you think?" Axel asked, looking up at the foreboding building, his gorgeous red ponytail brushing his back.

"Actually..." Zexion said, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. "It's fresh. Police responded last night around 4 am to gunshots."

"So why do you need the fresh air?" Axel asked, taking a sip of his own coffee. Zexion chuckled darkly.

"CSI is already here." he said, a low growl escaping Axel's lips as he glared up at the building.

"You're fuckin' kidding me..." he groaned. Zexion laughed again, pulling a crushed pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

"I really wish I was." he said, shaking one out and putting it between his lips. He looked to Axel, expecting a lighter. Axel shook his head. "What the fuck?" Zexion asked, his words muffled by the cigarette. "The pyro king doesn't have a lighter?"

"Not this morning." Axel muttered.

"Figures..." Zexion mumbled to himself, searching the pockets of his jacket for matches or a lighter as Axel held his breath, walking into the building. The place reminded him of his own apartment building, with doors lining the corridors. Only in this place, everyone was standing outside, watching the procession of forensic annalists and police. Axel followed the commotion and crackling police radio transmissions up the stairs and around the corner. He stepped into the apartment, shielding his eyes from the bright police spotlight that was positioned directly above the victim where he lay sprawled out on the floor in only a pair of tight blue jeans.

"Whats his story?" Axel asked a nearby cop, slipping on a pair of latex gloves. The cop flipped through his notes.

"Male. 24 years old, died from bullet wounds to the head and chest." said the cop, sounding like a bored bank teller. Axel slowly circled the body. The blood from the guy's head was sprayed across the white carpet. Axel flashed back momentarily to the memories of his own blood being splashed across virgin snow when his stepfather would take him into the backyard to knock him around while his dishrag of a mother would watch from the window with silent horror. He shook the image out of his head and squatted near the body. There were gaping bullet wounds in the man's chest and one right in the middle of his forehead. Though blood was caked over most of his face, you could tell his eyes had been open. Axel grimaced when he realized that bits of the man's shattered skull had found their way onto this chest, tangling with the blood in the soft hairs. Axel looked harder at the man's chest and discovered something shining in the crimson. Tilting his head, Axel reached for it.

"You can't do that!" cried one of the forensics agents. He'd been watching Axel the whole time. The irritated redhead didn't even look over his shoulder.

"Yeah actually... I can. Detective Axel Crowley, Homicide." he said dully, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his badge. He tossed it to the forensics agent and it skidded across the carpet, landing at the man's feet. He reached again for the thing shining against the victim's chest. It was a necklace. A pendant of some kind on a fine silver chain. Frowning, Axel unclasped the necklace and lifted it gingerly from the body. He let it dangle in his grasp, twisting this way and that, shining in the abnormally bright light. The pendant was in the shape of an urn, blue stone set into it suggesting that the urn was full of water.

"It's a zodiac symbol." said one of the cops from behind Axel. "He was an Aquarius." Axel stared at the cop, then back at the bloody pendant in his hand.

"You sure 'bout that?" he asked. "Could have been someone else's that he wore out of sentiment." Axel reasoned.

"We found his driver's license." the cop said, handing the victim's wallet to Axel, who dropped the bloody necklace into an evidence bag and stripped off his gloves. Axel took the wallet and looked at the man's picture, then at his description and name.

"Demyx Bailey." Axel said out loud. "Date of birth..." he began to read.

"February 5th, 1984." the cop finished. "He would have been 25 in a few months." he said, almost sadly. Axel stared at him.

"That still doesn't tell me anything about the necklace." the redhead stated. The cop only chuckled lightly to himself.

"February 5th falls almost exactly in the middle of the Aquarius bracket." he said. When Axel gave him a blank stare, he said "I took an astrology class in college."

Axel nodded slowly, still circling the body when he asked yet another question.

"So... do we have a motive?" he asked.

"Kind of." responded the cop with the college credits.

"Do tell." Axel said, again squatting beside the body.

"It seems Mr. Bailey was an... entertainer." the cop said, slightly amused. Axel's eyebrows shot up and he looked over his shoulder at the cop. "He was an exotic dancer at...ahem... 'Twilight Town's Young Gentleman's Club'."

Axel let out a low whistle, looking back to the bloodied corpse in front of him.

"So was he gay or was he just... seriously down on his luck?" he asked.

"We've talked to a few neighbors and confirmed that he was definitely gay." the cop nodded.

"So that's your motive? Someone shot the guy for being a fag?" Axel asked incredulously. The cop shrugged, getting defensive.

"It happens all the time, detective." he said. Axel shook his head and stood.

"But it doesn't happen in the person's home. There was no sign of forced entry, which means the victim knew the person who killed him." he said expertly, looking around for any other clue. The cop hung his head as Axel's partner came rushing into the apartment.

"We've got a lead on a suspect!" he called to Axel.

"Already?" asked the redhead. Zexion stood close to him and dropped his voice.

"Apparently our boy here had a lover. The guy's already gone down to the station to _voluntarily_ undergo questioning." Zexion said, his voice skeptical.

"He thinks it will make him seem less guilty?" Axel reasoned. Zexion shrugged.

"Whatever the case may be, he's down there already. In a nice, cozy interrogation room just waiting for ya, buddy." he patted Axel's back.

"Why me?" Axel asked angrily.

"The chief's decided this is _your _case." Zexion said, walking away. "Today must not be your day."

Axel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose tightly. There are days you just shouldn't get out of bed. And this was definitely one of those days.

"Alright, but someone's driving me!" he called to Zexion.

Roughly an hour later, Axel was standing between Seifer and Zexion, staring through the mirrored glass at their prime suspect. Axel couldn't help but think of how non-lethal he looked. He was small. Even smaller than the victim, and his eyes were a soft aquamarine. Shimmering silver hair fell to his shoulders and he kept his head down, staring at his lap where his hands were gently folded. Axel wrinkled his nose.

"Whats his name?" he asked Seifer.

"Riku..." said the chief.

"Last name?" Axel asked him.

"Didn't give one. Said he felt that he didn't need to." Seifer grumbled, watching the boy inside the room look side to side, then right at the glass. He tilted his head a bit and produced a lopsided grin. A shudder ran through the three law enforcement officers. He couldn't see them... could he?

"All yours..." Zexion whispered, putting a hand on his partner's back. Axel breathed deep, setting a hand on the cold steel handle. He hated interrogations...

"Afternoon..." he said briskly, closing the door of the room behind him. He knew that everything he said and did was being recorded. The boy at the table looked up at him with shockingly beautiful eyes that could have put Axel's own green eyes to shame. His lashes were long and thick...he looked almost womanly with his slight frame and perfect hair.

"Good afternoon, Detective." the boy said in a deceptively soft voice. Axel's blood seemed to stop in his veins at the sound. It was deeper than he would have expected, and so unbelievably pleasant to hear. It wasn't too deep, or too high, or too much of anything, really. The kid sounded like an angel. Axel was tempted to stare at him, but he settled for shaking his head and standing near the silver table, opposite Riku.

"So... you came here voluntarily?" Axel asked, more of a statement than a question. Riku nodded his glorious head.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." he accused. Axel shrugged.

"It's not a bad thing. It just..." he began explaining when Riku cut him off.

"It's suspicious." he said. Axel nodded.

"I just have a few questions for you..." he changed the subject. "Why haven't you told us your last name?" he asked.

"Didn't feel the need to." Riku answered him.

"Do you plan to tell us?" Axel inquired.

"Not any time soon." said Riku. "What about your last name, detective?"

Axel paused for a moment.

"Crowley." he said.

"Like the revered Satanist writer." Riku said.

"I guess." said Axel.

"Are you related to him?" asked Riku.

"No." Axel shook his head.

"Are you a Satanist, Mr. Crowley?"

"No." replied Axel.

"Are you religious at all?" Riku asked.

"I was raised Catholic." answered Axel.

"Are you still a Catholic?" Riku persisted.

"No." Axel ground his teeth.

"Why not?" Riku wouldn't let up.

"Because." Axel groaned.

"Fascinating answer."

"You and Mr. Demyx Bailey were in a relationship until his death, is that right?" Axel moved on.

"No. It ended about a week ago." Riku said, his voice calm and smooth. Axel's eyebrows shot up.

"Ended?" he asked. "Why?"

Riku shrugged, flipping a piece of silver hair over his shoulder.

"Differences." he said simply.

"Such as?" inquired the detective.

"There were many things..." Riku mused, as if lost in a trance. "He worked so much that I never saw him, he stopped showing any appreciation for _my_ work, even the lovemaking stopped..." he sighed remorsefully. Axel's eye twitched at the last statement, though he wasn't sure why.

"What line of work are you in?" Axel asked him.

"I'm an artist. A painter." Riku said quietly. Axel nodded, continuing.

"Was the break up messy?" he asked.

"Not particularly. We fought, but all couples fight, especially in times of emotional turmoil." Riku said confidently.

"Fighting with your partner isn't really healthy." Axel informed him. Riku gave him a blank stare.

"I'm sure that even _you_ fight with your wife or girlfriend." he said. Axel chuckled darkly.

"Haven't got either." he said.

"I assumed so." said Riku. "I was just being polite."

"Why did you assume?" Axel asked, suddenly wondering if he looked like he couldn't get a girlfriend.

"You're a detective. That's not a status achieved by sitting around at home, spending time with your loved ones." Riku pointed out.

"So I can't get a woman 'cause I'm a cop?" Axel felt slightly offended.

"That's not the only reason." Riku said softly.

"There's more?" demanded Axel. Riku nodded.

"Your hair, while brilliant and lovely, is uncombed and you smell of body odor and alcohol. You look painfully tired and your gun holster is so tight around your chest, I'm surprised you can breathe. I haven't seen you cast a friendly glance since you walked in here and you scream 'I'm not a people person'." Riku listed confidently. Axel blinked at him and shook his head a little.

"Wow..." he muttered.

"That was just on the outside. If you'd like, I can thoroughly psychoanalyze you." Riku offered.

"We've got department shrinks for that." Axel said sarcastically.

"Yes I know. One was in here earlier. Laughing in his uneducated face was hard to resist." Riku said, staring off at the wall to his left.

"You think you're some tough shit, don't you?" Axel said.

"I'm a very well educated man, make no mistake. I received a Doctorate in psychology. The people who work here barely qualify to be high school guidance counselors." Riku said with disdain.

"So you're saying that you could mindfuck me and get away with it? Because you have a fancy Doctorate?" Axel challenged. Riku tilted his head, lifting his eyebrows.

"_'Could'_ mindfuck you? Detective Crowley...what do you think I've been doing this whole time?" he asked innocently. Axel's blood ran cold. Riku only smiled.

"You're sick." he murmured.

"People fear what they don't understand. I didn't expect you to be different." Riku sighed. "Detective, my alibi checks out. I'm only here to be sure no one comes knocking on my door late at night demanding to know my life story and Demyx's as well."

"You sure don't seem very shaken by his death." Axel pointed out. Riku recoiled, offended.

"Emotion makes one vulnerable, and I've become very good at hiding them. If I could say the same for you, perhaps half of your department wouldn't think you're a drunken washout who's sanity is circling the drain." he snapped. Axel stared at him.

"They've said that?" he asked. Riku smiled.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. Why don't you ask them?" Riku looked from Axel's face directly at the mirrored glass. The people behind it felt another chill. Axel's jaw clenched as he tried to stay focused.

"Just... tell me one thing." he said, bringing Riku's attention back to him.

"Yes?" asked the silver-haired man.

"Can you think of anyone who would do this? Anyone at all?" Axel pleaded. Riku seemed to be lost in thought.

"There is one man..." he said. "A frequent customer of Demyx's at the Twilight Town's Young Gentleman's Club."

"What about him?" asked Axel.

"He was particularly fond of Demyx. It was a bit of a one-sided love affair. He tried to convince Demyx several times to leave me, but he never did. The man became enraged one night and took a swing at Demyx. He was thrown out and banned." Riku recalled.

"You saw it?" asked Axel.

"Of course. I was with Demyx every night." Riku nodded.

"Reminding everyone that he was your property?" Axel assumed.

"If that's how you choose to perceive it..." Riku dismissed the accusation. "I was never the jealous type. I was there for his support and nothing else."

"Did you get the man's name?" inquired Axel. Riku wrinkled his nose.

"It's horrible etiquette to ask patrons of the club their names." he said.

"There's rules in _gay bars?_" Axel asked. Riku glared hard at him.

"There are rules in _straight_ men's clubs where they all lay around in their own filth and drink themselves stupid while barely legal women throw their tits in the men's faces so they can go home and feed their bastard children with the pathetic bills men throw at them, aren't there?" he demanded. Axel was speechless.

"Detective Crowley, I believe this interrogation is over. I volunteered to be questioned, not insulted. You may leave." Riku's gorgeous aquamarine eyes darted towards the door and Axel, too stunned to say anything, left without question.

"You just got verbally bitch slapped." Zexion said as Axel entered the room behind the glass. Seifer himself was inside now with Riku, trying his hand at getting him to do anything but play mindgames. Axel didn't even respond to Zexion's comment. Axel's partner looked through the glass at Seifer who was quickly becoming frustrated while Riku sat docile. "He's not gonna get anywhere, is he?" Zexion asked. Axel's eyes widened and he shook his head slowly.

"Not a chance." he murmured. Axel turned to leave, wanting to return to his desk and fill out paperwork.

"You know..." Zexion called to him as he opened the door. "_You're_ supposed to interrogate _him_." he pointed out. Axel looked over his shoulder at his partner.

"Yeah maybe if he was human, that would have worked." he said, almost fearfully. The muffled sound of Seifer's irritated yelling followed Axel out the door.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Yes, I know Riku isn't typically that ominous and creepy, but I feel like he really has the potential to be.

I always saw him at the one who could just snap at any moment and kill someone, and then be a total sociopath about it. I dunno... he just _looks_ like a serial killer/rapist in KH2 (which is awesome, don't get me wrong) and I just kinda wanted to play with that aspect.

And yes, Axel really isn't that much of a mopey scumbag, but there's a reason why he is the way he is... yet to be revealed. (insert psychotic writer laugh here)

So yes, moving on...

Reviews?


	2. Interrogation

So this was originally gonna be a one-shot.

Then I tried making it a two-parter.

Then I realized I fail at writing anything short.

So here we go... chapter two.

Disclaimer: Definitely not mine, definitely not making money off of this. Though that would be fuckin' sweet...

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"**Interrogation" **

After Seifer had given himself a miniature stroke trying to get anything useful out of Riku, Zexion had given it his all. He lasted the least amount of time. Prone to violence despite his relatively peaceful demeanor, Zexion excused himself after only five minutes, fearing for Riku's life and his career. Axel had warned him, but no one ever listens to the smart one. Seifer wanted to take Riku into custody for obstruction of justice by not cooperating, but because it was a voluntary interrogation, he couldn't. Not only that, but Riku's alibi checked out completely. At between 3:30 and 5:00 am on the morning of Demyx's murder, he'd been happily gabbing away with the Dean of Twilight Town University, following one of his night school philosophy lectures. There was substantial proof, as the meeting for tea and conversation had been broadcast live to a few of Riku's students living far from Twilight Town as part of an interaction program for students doing correspondence classes. This had irked Seifer, but he was forced to let him leave.

While Zexion and the chief were beating their brains out trying to figure out how to crack the code in Riku's mind and implicate him in the murder, Axel was getting some serious unfinished work done. Although he wished there were an alternative, he employed the help of Kairi to get some of the filing out of the way. Under her lustful stare all afternoon, Axel got everything sorted, stamped and filed properly. He hadn't even started on Demyx's murder when it was well past time to clock out for the evening and go home. He was glad for it. The less he thought about that creepy sociopath Riku, the better. He dismissed Kairi, gathered his things, bid farewell to Zexion and Seifer (who were both bent over the same desk, tossing ideas around, cursing the legal system and to the point of injecting coffee straight into their veins) and headed out the door into the cool, rainy night. For the first time in what felt like years, Axel actually felt the human rush of joy when stepping out of a hot, muggy building into cold, open air. That was, until...

"Good evening, Detective Crowley." came a soft voice from the shadows. Axel's head snapped in the direction of the voice fast enough to cause whiplash. His eyes widened as he caught sight of Riku, standing in the shadows near the steps of the building like some kind of predator.

"What the fuck are you still doing here?" Axel demanded of the man in the black coat.

"I realize our meeting earlier didn't go well. I was rude. I wanted to apologize." Riku said calmly.

"So you wait outside in the rain? You couldn't come _in_ and apologize?" Axel asked. Riku scoffed.

"You think I want to just waltz into a building full of people who think I'm a cold-blooded murderer and would do anything short of framing me to get me locked up?" Riku asked him sternly. Axel almost felt bad for the guy. He shrugged.

"Everyone's first reaction to something like murder is to blame the first person that logically, could be the killer. Like anyone who even remotely knew the victim." he sympathized. A spark lit Riku's eyes and a small smile crossed his lips.

"I knew I was right about you." he said softly.

"The fuck do you mean by that?" Axel asked, back on his guard.

"I reasoned when I saw you that you weren't the average neanderthal detective who's only real skill is playing the perfect 'bad cop' in the interrogation room." Riku replied.

"Thanks I guess." Axel said slowly. Riku crossed his arms.

"You know you took that as a serious compliment, stop with the false modesty." he complained. Axel's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Riku's facade melted a bit as he took a few steps closer to Axel. "Detective... Demyx meant the world to me." he said, his eyes softening. "Even though we fought relentlessly...the memories... they're just so hard to get away from and..." Riku shook his head, a tiny tear sliding down his cheek. It was the first time Axel saw Riku show any emotion, or be at a loss for words.

"I know.." the detective said soothingly.

"No you don't." Riku whispered from behind the hand he'd pressed to his lips to keep his jaw from quivering. "You've never lost someone."

"Now who's assuming?" Axel said defensively. "Don't think you're the only one who's ever felt pain."

"You're right. I'm terribly sorry. But I wanted to ask you... beg you to find out who did this to him. Bring him justice. He was such a wonderful person... he didn't deserve half of what happened to him in life, he certainly didn't deserve death." Riku choked.

"We'll do everything in our power, I promise." Axel assured him. Riku grabbed Axel by the lapel of his coat and pulled him close.

"You look in my eyes and you promise me you'll find my baby's killer. And don't you _dare_ say it unless you mean it." Riku growled, his voice laden with emotion. Axel stared into Riku's shocking, sea green eyes full of unshed tears. He swallowed dryly.

"I promise." he whispered. Riku released him, standing up straight and smoothing out the wrinkles on his front.

"Good." he sniffled, trying to sound cheerful. "Now...there are some things I want to discuss with you regarding the murder. Things I didn't dare to say with human and electronic ear alike hanging on my every word."

Axel raised his eyebrows, running a hand through his matted ponytail.

"Why tell _me?_ Why not tell my partner Zexion? He's working the case, too." Axel said.

"Because something deep inside told me I could trust you." Riku murmured. "I've not listened to what some could call intuition for a very long time, and for good reason. But there's just something about you."

"Well... it's kinda starting to rain so can we meet for lunch or something tomorrow?" Axel asked. Riku chuckled softly as a black sedan pulled up beside the curb.

"I'd much rather discuss these matters in my home. I promise, it's quite nice. There's hot tea and bourbon, if you're interested..." began Riku.

"I'm not getting into a car with some random suspect who won't even tell me his last name." Axel disputed.

"Carlton." said Riku. "My last name is Carlton. And you made me a promise to find the man responsible come hell or high water and I have valuable information that you will need to do just that. I'm afraid it's non-negotiable." he pulled open the passenger door of the sedan and looked to Axel intensely. "Get in."

Riku's promise that his home was nice certainly wasn't an empty one. The driveway on the monstrosity was an acre of white gravel, his other, more luxurious cars parked under covering near the side of the home. Axel stepped out of the sedan, walking under the enormous overhang and found that one of the giant oak doors was already ajar, a beautiful young woman in a black pantsuit nodded to him as he walked into the glorious foyer. The floor was all marble, the walls a gleaming white. It was large, but not flashy. There was a subtle grace and grandeur in the soft yellow light thrown off by the gleaming chandeliers and inset lighting near the base of the staircase.

"You like?" Riku asked smugly, walking inside behind him and handing his coat to the woman.

"It's incredible!" Axel said, surprise apparent in his voice.

"What did you expect? Pink walls? A manservant who walks around in a thong? Perhaps some Elton John posters on the walls?" Riku asked too politely. Axel stared at him. "I'm not a _flamboyant_ homosexual, Axel. I'm actually quite the opposite." he smiled, leading the detective into a room to the right. A large fire roared on the hearth, it's warmth more than welcomed by both men now sitting in plush red velvet chairs. Axel felt the need to apologize for his reaction to the home.

"I didn't mean to offend you." he said to Riku as the silver-haired man took a sip of brandy. "I just didn't think that a painter could... afford something like this." he said. Riku's eyebrow piqued.

"Well it was hard going in the beginning, I can assure you. But I'm most definitely not a starving artist by any means. I'm commissioned time and time again to create works of art to rival the greats. I'm a regular Michael Angelo." he gloated, offering bourbon to Axel who took it without question.

"So why was Demyx..." he began.

"Living in a dump?" Riku finished for him. A small nod from Axel.

"Well, he was never one for lavish things. Preferred to live in a place he paid for, himself. I always wanted to spoil him, but he'd never let me." Riku said remorsefully, running his fingertip along the edge of his brandy glass, not taking his eyes off of Axel. The fire crackled, filling the awkward silence between the two men.

"So what about this man?" Axel asked, bring the subject back to police work. _"That's why I'm here."_ he reminded himself.

"His name is Xaldin..." Riku began.

"I thought you didn't ask men their names when they were in the club." Axel fired at him. Riku narrowed his eyes.

"I told you there was information that I withheld now would you like to hear it or not?" he asked irritably. Axel sighed and leaned back against the chair, swirling the bourbon in his glass.

"As I was saying, his name is Xaldin. He was quite fond of Demyx, and for a very long time, too." Riku stared at the floor. "He...would glare at me. Often. Make rude remarks, so on and so forth." he continued. "We got into several arguments, my wining point always being that Xaldin had a loving family at home that he was forsaking in the name of more...risqué ventures." Riku looked up at Axel.

"He has a family?" asked the detective.

"A wife, three kids and a large home just a few tax brackets from here." Riku said with a wave of his hand. "Anyway... I wasn't convinced that Xaldin had Demyx's best interests at heart. He was always trying to get him to break company policy and allow Xaldin to touch him..." Riku caught Axel's confused look. "Yes, we have rules too. As I understand it, men in titty bars aren't allowed to touch the dancers. What makes you think we'd have any less respect for our own performers?" he asked, not expecting an answer.

"Anyway..." Riku shifted in his chair, sipping some more of his brandy. "There was a confrontation one evening. Demyx said something that must have angered him because Xaldin reached out to slap him. Demyx always had the reflexes of a cat though, and dodged it. After that, Xaldin was banned." Riku sounded bored.

"Did he see Demyx any time after that?" Axel inquired.

"Once or twice. Demyx met him for coffee to make sure everything was alright with him. My Demyx had the softest of hearts." Riku said solemnly. Axel resisted the urge to say_ "Obviously. It was pierced by a bullet, after all." _

"So you're saying this Xaldin character had reason to kill Demyx?" he asked instead.

"Maybe, maybe not. He seems the only probable one. Demyx never hurt anyone, really." Riku said, taking a long sip. "But...what about you?" he inquired. Axel stared the the bizarre painter.

"What _about_ me?" he asked.

"I'd like to know more about you." Riku said politely. Axel shook his head.

"I'd like to know more about the case." he stood firm.

"That can wait till morning." Riku said softly.

"I'm not staying till morning." Axel shot back.

"And why not? It's not like you have a woman to go home to. Are you afraid your cold, dark, dank, lonely apartment with the stiff bed will think you don't love it anymore if you don't return home tonight?" Riku narrowed his eyes.

"I can't stay the night at a suspect's house. I'm a fuckin' cop." Axel reasoned, only to get a non-caring shrug out of Riku.

"No one knows you're here. No one will find out." he said calmly. Axel wanted to argue, but he could feel the bourbon working slowly in his veins. Suddenly he didn't give a damn. Instead, he leaned back further into the back of the chair, letting his eyes droop in the pale light.

"What do you want to know?" he asked Riku, a small smile appearing on the other man's face.

"Let's start with your childhood." said the man of pale hair. Axel began to laugh loudly, choking a bit on his own voice, propping his feet up on the ornate coffee table in front of him.

"That's a fuckin' novel in it's self." he muttered, taking a sip of bourbon.

"Give me the abridged version." said Riku quietly.

"Well let's see..." Axel leaned his head back to stare at the ceiling. "My mom got knocked up when she was still young. The father split of course. Then she gets involved with this unholy fucking asshole and I'm forced to call him my father, even though they didn't even marry until I was almost 18." he sighed and looked to the floor beside his chair. "He beat me a lot." came Axel's words after much silence. "Put me into a wall when I was a kid...because I forgot to do the dishes..."

"I'm sorry." Riku said, but Axel waved it off, continuing.

"I used to beg my mother to do something, but she was so terrified of being alone that she wouldn't say two words to the guy." he shook his head, biting his thumbnail. "Then there were the kids at school. I was always the awkward, scrawny one. Got pushed around a lot. These scars..." he pointed to the set of twin marks below his captivating eyes. "I got these when the neighborhood jackass thought it would be funny to brand me. Heated up the rusted end of a broken crowbar and..." Axel imitated the boy shoving the hot iron into his face. "I'm lucky I didn't go blind."

"And your mother did nothing?" Riku asked, surprised.

"I didn't have a mother." Axel said slowly. "I had a legal guardian who supplied me with food and a place to stay."

"That's why you became a cop, then?" Riku asked. "Bully others around like they bullied you?"

"Actually, that's part of the reason." Axel admitted, the alcohol having a more intense effect than he thought it would. "I wanted a gun and a license to use it against anyone who fucked with me."

"I figured." Riku nodded. "And the other part of the reason?" he asked. Axel thought for a moment, staring into the glass of bourbon before taking another sip and sighing.

"They told me at the academy that uh...that I could be a detective if I worked hard enough. Less time on the streets and better pay." he laughed slightly.

"You're rather young, you know. To be a detective." Riku noted.

"Yeah." Axel said. "Yeah I know. They shot me straight to the top after I defused that hostage situation with the mayor. I'm the youngest detective on the force." he said, almost with pride.

"So why homicide?" Riku inquired, taking a long gulp of brandy. There was silence while Axel's sharp eyes darted across the beautiful, hand-woven carpet beneath his feet. He sighed softly.

"The dead ones don't bother me so much." he said, his voice barely a whisper. Riku stared with glinting eyes at Axel as he swished the bourbon around in his glass.

"You mentioned before that you don't have a girlfriend." Riku said, breaking the silence. Axel looked up at him.

"Never had much luck with relationships." Axel grunted, picking the dirt from under his fingernails.

"And why not?" Riku asked him.

"I'm not what you'd call 'loving'." sighed the redhead.

"Were you ever in a relationship with a man?" Riku asked innocently, though Axel's eyes hardened.

"Of course not." he spat, the haze of the bourbon lifting. Riku quirked an eyebrow.

"It's just... your reaction to my comment about the...physical aspect of my relationship with Demyx." he said softly.

"Boy you catch everything, don't you?" Axel snapped.

"It's what I'm known for." Riku explained. There was silence, then a frustrated sigh from Axel.

"I've never been with a man." he said. "And I want to go to bed. So you can either show me the guest bedroom, or agree to meet me tomorrow." his eyes were as sharp as his tone. Riku looked disappointed. He called to one of his servants, telling them to show Axel to his room for the night. The detective stood from the plush chair, swaying a bit, and followed the woman in the pantsuit out of the room and up the stairs. Riku watched him with eyes that smoldered like the fire in the hearth. Then he sat alone in the room as the light from the fire slowly faded, drifting in and out of sleep as the rain drops slipped silently down the glass of the window. Meanwhile, upstairs, Axel tossed and turned on the luxurious bed, unable to get Riku's accusing words out of his head.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

The morning dawned cloudy and cool over Riku's estate, the pitiful light streaming through the windows and the servants clattering in the halls rousing Axel from his fitful sleep. He sat up slowly in the bed he instantly knew wasn't his. The bourbon from the night before still had a feeble grip on his brain, but as he stretched his aching body, the haze lifted. He found himself staring up at a beautifully sponge painted ceiling, the soft sheets and mattress beneath him feeling like a fluffy wisp of cloud. Axel noticed almost immediately that the ever-present pain in his lower back was gone. Probably from sleeping on a decent mattress. It was then the night before came flooding back into Axel's groggy mind. Groaning out loud, he slapped a large hand over his face, breathing slowly.

"I trust you slept well?" Riku's unmistakable voice drifted from the doorway. Axel peeked out behind his fingers to see the man leaning against the doorframe, holding a cup of coffee, wearing only black silk boxers and a fine silk robe to match. The robe hung open, revealing Riku's tight stomach and defined chest. Even from here, Axel could see pearly scars decorating his abdomen.

"The hell happened to you?" he croaked. Riku stared him down.

"With all due respect, Axel, you're the one that looks like you've been in a bar brawl." he pointed out.

"I meant the scars." Axel defended. "And did you just use my first name?" he added. Riku shrugged.

"The scars are none of your business and yes, I used your first name. Is that a problem?" he asked.

"Not as much of a problem as me laying in your spare bed in my underwear." Axel groaned, scratching his head vigorously. Riku smiled at this.

"It's early. And your cellphone hasn't rang once." he said. "You've not missed anything." Axel stared at him.

"You've been listening for my phone to ring?" he asked, unnerved.

"Of course not. But I'd hear that obnoxious Buckcherry song from anywhere in the house." Riku glowered as he sipped his coffee.

"Hey hey hey...'Crazy Bitch' is a good song. And how do you know that's my ringtone? My phone's never gone off in front of you." Axel asked. Riku's eyebrows shot up and he opened his mouth to speak when one of his servants tapped him on the shoulder.

"Mr. Carlton?" he murmured, handing Riku a cordless house phone. Riku rolled his eyes and took it, pressing it to his ear.

"Good morning, mother." he said dully. Axel watched as Riku sipped his coffee, nodding, listening to his mom on the other end of the phone. "Yes yes that's wonderful. Mother darling, I'm afraid I have to let you go." he finally interrupted her. Axel could hear a woman's voice escalate in tone. She obviously wasn't happy. Riku groaned and rolled his eyes. "I'm not avoiding you, but there's a gorgeous detective laying half naked in the bed in front of me and I _have to go_." he said, pulling the phone away from his ear and pressing the 'end' button. Axel gripped the sheets and stared at Riku in horror. Riku flipped his silvery hair over his shoulder with a sigh. "That woman..." he said to no one in particular. He caught Axel's glance.

"What?" he demanded. Axel didn't speak, he only stared. "Oh don't flatter yourself detective," he said, figuring out that Axel's reaction was to the phone call. "I had to tell her_ something _to get her off the phone and assure that I won't hear from her for a while." he said.

"What do you mean 'don't flatter yourself'?" Axel asked, surprised that he cared if Riku found him attractive or not. A small smile crossed Riku's face.

"I'm not implying that you're not absolutely stunning, Axel. Because quite frankly, you're more breathtaking than the northern lights above an endless frozen tundra. _However..._" he sipped his coffee slowly, choosing his next words. "I dated a male stripper." with that sentence and a smug grin, Riku pushed himself off the doorframe and headed back down the hall.

Axel stared at the empty doorway for a moment, thinking about what Riku had said. He blinked once, twice, and again. He grabbed the skin around his middle, wondering if he was putting on too much weight. _"Of course not."_ he thought to himself. _"Anorexic Axel."_. Then, sighing, he stood from the bed and pulled on his clothes from the night before, making his way out of the room and down the staircase. As beautiful as the home was at night, it was even more glorious in the day. Every inch of it sparkled with blinding white brilliance, even without large amounts of sunlight. Axel made his way into the room with the fireplace, but Riku was not there. Without a word, a servant grabbed Axel by the arm and led him gently into another room, one that looked like a study. Riku was sitting at a large oak desk, still barely clothed. He had his bare feet propped up on the massive desk and he was sucking on the end of a pen when Axel was dragged into his line of sight.

"Please, sit." Riku said, a hint of something Axel couldn't place dancing along the edges of his voice. Axel sat cautiously in the chair on the other side of the desk and stared at Riku.

"I have some more questions about the investigation." he said, timid, though he didn't know why.

"And I have some more questions for you." Riku smiled.

"No. No more personal questions. You wanted my help, now you're getting it. Please cooperate." he begged. Riku shrugged, leaning back further in the chair.

"What do you want to know?" he asked. The next hour and a half was spent with Riku and Axel going back and forth across the desk. Axel would ask a question, Riku would answer, and quite thoroughly, though nothing proved useful. Axel hung his head, strands of vermilion hair falling in his face, and Riku looked out the window sadly. They were getting nowhere.

"Is it hopeless?" Riku asked, breaking the silence, a hint of sadness in his tone.

"It's not. You just gotta give me some time." Axel sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Riku's beautiful eyes clouded with pain. He looked to the clock on the edge of his desk.

"It's getting late." he whispered. Axel nodded his agreement. "I suppose you should be going." Riku muttered.

"Yeah. Thanks for uh... cooperating and that... that really nice guest bedroom." Axel said quietly. Riku nodded slowly, not taking his eyes off the window to his right.

"I'll be seeing you, detective." he said quietly.

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Riku is a sexy bitch.

Reviews?


	3. A beautiful place

Okay okay...

So I really like where this is going so far.

And my live-in editor (my sister...ha.) likes it so far, too.

Still not entirely sure where to go with it, but I have an idea.

Disclaimer: Again, not mine.

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"**A Beautiful Place"**

"Nice of you to join us." Zexion mumbled to Axel as the redhead stumbled though the doors of the precinct, desperate to get out of the pouring rain. A pale, shaking hand clutching his coat closed, he looked up at Zexion.

"I slept in." he lied. His partner narrowed his eyes.

"I tried calling you a million and one times." he said slowly. Axel shrugged.

"Had the ringer off." he said dismissively. "So have you guys made any progress on the Bailey case?" he asked, changing the subject. Zexion's face flashed with frustration.

"No." he grunted. "Been up all fucking night, too. Seifer didn't even go home." he pointed to the chief, snoozing peacefully with his head down on his desk. Axel laughed a little at the sight, gripping the knob on the door of his office. That's when he felt one of Zexion's soft hands on his shoulder, his partner's face gently pressed between his shoulder blades. Axel's eyes drifted shut for a moment and he shuddered.

"The fuck?" he muttered. Zexion continued to press his face to Axel's back, the fabric of the coat rough against his cheek.

"You smell like lavender." Zexion muttered into Axel's shoulders while the redhead struggled to keep breathing.

"Uh... is that bad?" Axel trembled. Zexion detached from Axel's back and shrugged.

"Not bad. Just weird. You usually smell like vodka and coffee." he said, pulling a pen from the breast pocket of his long-sleeved white shirt and throwing it at Seifer's desk. The pen bounced off the wooden surface less than an inch from Seifer's shining blond hair and he jerked his head up off his arms, looking around drowsily until he caught sight of Zexion standing beside Axel, his arms folded, a look of triumph on his face. Scowling, Seifer flipped Zexion the bird and buried his face back in his arms on the desk. Zexion chuckled, looking to Axel.

"We got a lot of shit to get done today. Chop chop!" he clapped his hands, grinning. Axel smiled weakly, pushing open the door of his office, still trying to shake the feeling of Zexion's face against his back.

He sat at his desk, pulling his jacket from his shoulders and inhaling the scent. It really _did_ smell like lavender. He thought for a moment about what could possibly have made his jacket smell like a delicate flower and not the usual cigarette smoke and filth. _"Riku."_ the name popped into his head. He buried his face in both hands, sighing through his fingers.

"Fuckin' rich psycho mind-fucking bastard..." Axel said out loud to the quiet of his office. He didn't like this one bit. It was a side of him he'd tried desperately to squash since he was a teenager. But still... the image of Riku in silk was a wonderful one. For the first time in years, Axel let his mind rest on the image of another man, though Riku wasn't much of one. There were no bulging muscles in his chest or stomach, though they were both pale as moonlight and they looked remarkably soft. His eyes were gentle, sloping and watery, reflecting the glassy surface of the pond from Axel's childhood. And his voice... so intoxicating. Though more often than not, they were somber, Riku's words could lull Axel to sleep. Of that, he was sure. His mind continued to wander, his imagination exploring Riku's body more thoroughly, caressing everything from his soft lips to his glorious hipbones. Then he lost control of his thought train, and it went careening down a path that haunted the dreams Axel popped pills to stop. A path that was paved with beatings, blood, glorious light brown hair, sapphire eyes and skin softer than the whisper of the ocean at daybreak. Suddenly it felt like someone reached into his chest and shoved a firecracker into the center of his heart, lighting the fuse. Before it exploded, Axel pushed the thoughts of nights beneath the stars long ago out of his head, squeezing his eyes shut tightly. He breathed deep, trying to stop his fingers from trembling where they clutched his coat. Feeling suddenly sick to his stomach, Axel reached for a pile of papers, picking up his phone. He swallowed dryly and dialed the first number on the list of people associated with Demyx Bailey. The phone rang. Once, twice...

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Somewhere in the other room, the phone was ringing. Grumbling to himself, Xaldin stood from his spot on the couch and stumbled into the darkened kitchen, picking up the cordless phone on the last ring.

"Hello?" he said, more demanding than interested. There was only brief silence before a man with a soft, defined tone spoke.

"Is this Xaldin?" the man inquired.

"This is he." said Xaldin, fearing this might be a bill collector.

"Good evening, sir. This is Detective Axel Crowley with the TTPD Homicide division." said the man. Xaldin's blood ran cold and he wished it_ had _been a bill collector.

"What can I do for you?" he asked cautiously. There was the sound of rustling papers on the other line.

"I'm calling to inquire about your relationship with a Mr. Demyx Bailey." said the detective. If there was any color in Xaldin's face to begin with, it was now gone.

"What's happened?" Xaldin asked quickly, his eyes darting around the room for any sign of his family.

"Mr. Bailey was found dead in his apartment two days ago." Axel's words made Xaldin feel like someone had just kicked him in the gut. His eyes widened, his jaw fell slack, and after a few seconds of absolute shock, he began breathing again.

"Y-You're serious?" he whispered, almost on the verge of crying, though he didn't know why.

"As a heart attack, sir." the detective's words were cold. Xaldin fell back against the wall, placing a hand on the cold plaster for support. _"Demyx can't be dead..."_ he repeated over and over in his mind. "I understand you were a good acquaintance of his." detective Crowley broke through his clouded thoughts. Xaldin cringed despite himself. How much did this cop know?

"You can say that." he murmured into the phone.

"There's no need to be shy." the detective seemed on the defensive and Xaldin hadn't even said anything. "We know all about your ventures." he said. Xaldin winced, pulling the phone away from his ear as if the detective had screamed into it.

"So what's your question?" he asked, turning a bright pink.

"Well it's nothing we can discuss over the phone, but because you were so close to Mr. Bailey, we'd like you to come down to the precinct for questioning." the detective told him. Xaldin hung his head.

"I'm a suspect?" he groaned.

"I'm afraid until we clear your story, you remain such." Axel's voice was professional to the point of being militant. Xaldin covered his face with his hand. Two days ago had been the night he took his wife and kids to dinner and a movie. Depending on how late the murder took place, he'd have receipts to prove his whereabouts. But explaining this to his wife wouldn't be easy. He decided he'd deal with that later.

"Is tomorrow good for you?" he asked, chewing on his nails from the nerves. "I have things to do with the kids today." he added. There was silence as the man on the other line contemplated.

"Tomorrow is fine." Axel said finally. "And be sure to ask for me. Again, my name is Axel Crowley." he said.

"Like the Satanist writer?" Xaldin questioned absently, his mind on trying to come up with a good excuse why he was being questioned in the death of a gay stripper. More silence, though there was a faint grinding sound. Either a pencil against wood or enamel on enamel.

"Yes. Like the Satanist writer." the detective huffed. He proceeded to give Xaldin the number at which he could be reached, then after a painfully formal goodbye, the line went dead. Xaldin stood for a while in his kitchen, holding the phone. He stared at the stove and the little light above it, feeling the cold of the tile floor seep through his socks and onto his tired feet. He thumped the back of his head against the wall feebly, solemnly swearing that he'd never so much as stick a toe out of line again if it meant he got out of this mess unscathed.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Did you get ahold of anyone?" Zexion's voice was distant when it drifted into Axel's office.

"Barely." the redhead responded loudly. "I got a few people to come in for questioning tomorrow, but that's it." he could hear twin groans and a thud against the wood of Seifer's desk. Things weren't going well on their end, either. Axel had been the one to dispatch a few officers to Demyx Bailey's parents' house and from what the officers had said, neither of his parents seemed to care that their youngest son was found murdered in copious amounts of cold blood. Even the crimescene photos didn't phase them, so it was now apparent that not only did they not have a clue about who might have done this to their son, they sure as fuck didn't care to share the information, even if they had it. According to them, they had one son and one fag, and the fag wasn't worth discussing. People made Axel so sick sometimes.

The day wore on and on as the weather outside became nastier. Confronted with mountains of paperwork and phonecalls, Axel finally broke and asked Zexion for a cigarette.

"How long's it been since your last one?" Zexion asked as he pulled a short and remarkably strong cigarette from the pack, handing it to Axel.

"Three months or some shit like that." Axel answered, lighting the cigarette right there in the building.

"Old habits die hard?" Zexion teased.

"You have no fucking clue." Axel said while exhaling a puff of smoke. Seifer looked up from his desk, hair a mess, and eyes bloodshot.

"The fuck you think you're doing?!" he cried. "Get outside with that! You wanna set off every fucking fire alarm in this building? Good lord, Crowley..." he grumbled, pointing to the door. Axel shrugged, taking another drag as he walked down the hall and out the door. It was only drizzling now, though he stood against the building to be sure no renegade drops would land on the cigarette. Slipping a pale, slender hand into his pocket, Axel pulled out the flask shaped bottle of vodka that he carried around like sanity insurance. Unscrewing the cap, he took a swig, relishing in the feeling of the burning heat that slipped down his throat, numbing it. It was such a stark contrast to the icy drops of rain that landed on his white shirt, which he unbuttoned at the top, letting himself breathe. He stared out at the gray, wet world, taking long drag after long drag, gulp after gulp of liquor until he began to feel the emotional and physical weariness begin to dull.

He was so lost in _getting_ lost that he failed to notice a small girl standing not five feet from him. Suddenly realizing her presence, he jolted a bit, but only stared.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" he asked, his voice gruff. The girl looked up at him strangely, strands of her brown hair plastered to her face with rain and sweat from the humidity. The dismal, monochromatic color that surrounded her only served to bring out the rosiness of her cheeks, the shine in her earthy eyes and the explosion of color that was the over-stuffed jacket she wore over a pretty lilac dress.

"School's already out." she countered. Axel nodded, uncaring and resumed staring at the soaked asphalt. The girl took a few steps closer to him. "What's that?" she asked, pointing to the gun nestled in the holster on Axel's chest.

"A .50 caliber handgun." he responded, not looking down at her.

"Why do you have it?" the girl asked innocently. Axel smiled ruefully, wisps of smoke escaping his pale lips.

"Because the world is a scary place." he whispered.

"Is that why you drink and smoke like you're trying to take out a major organ?" the girl asked with a sudden spark of intellect. Axel nodded slowly.

"You're pretty insightful for someone who still has their baby teeth." Axel grinned, taking another drag.

"That's what my mom says." the girl beamed. Axel stared down at the peeling label on the bottle of vodka, and at the cigarette that was almost gone. He knew the kid wanted conversation and who was he to deny her when all that awaited him inside was mounds of paperwork and bad news to break?

"Alright, I'll bite." he said softly. "What's your mom's name?" he asked, looking to the little girl.

"Mrs. Moreno." responded the girl rocking on her heels. Axel frowned.

"You call your mother by her last name?" he asked.

"No. Mrs. Moreno is my case worker. I don't know my real mom's name, so I call Mrs. Moreno 'mom'." she explained. Axel felt a surge of pity and almost envy for the girl. When he was young, he'd wanted nothing more than to be taken by an agency, but on the other hand, he'd heard horror stories about what happens to some of the kids in the system that would make a serial killer hurl.

"You're an agency case." he said. The girl nodded.

"I was taken away from my mom when I was real little 'cause she couldn't afford to feed me or anything. But it's okay. They told me she was a drug addict and a hooker." the last word just didn't sound right in her soft, though high pitched voice. It sounded foreign, like she was reading a word she didn't know from a book. But at the same time, Axel knew it was a staple in her vocabulary.

"Shame." he said, flicking the butt of his cigarette into the puddles lining the street, extinguishing the cherry with a hiss.

"It's the world we live in." responded the little girl, again contradicting the very idea of innocence in children with her ill-gotten sense of a cruel, pain-filled world.

"So what's your name?" Axel asked, his stone-cold cop heart melting a tad for the little brunette at his feet.

"Marlene." she said, looked down at her untied shoes. "I'm really not supposed to tell strangers my name, but it's okay..." she glanced up into Axel's eyes. "You're a cop." she muttered the last word as if it were an ugly curse. This made Axel grin wide.

"How do you know that? Lot's of people carry guns." he said, trying to sound wise.

"Not everyone stands outside a _police precinct_ with a gun, staring off into space like they want to jump in front of the first car that rounds the corner." Marlene said, again verbally slapping Axel in the face.

"So you assume that all cops are miserable?" Axel asked the girl, not fully believing he was having a semi-intelligent conversation with someone who wasn't even tall enough to reach the top shelf in his refrigerator.

"Not all of them." answered Marlene. "Just the ones who_ look_ miserable." the words took Axel aback a bit. He stared for a moment at the little girl, then out at the street.

"I look miserable?" he asked her, and even moreso...himself.

"A bit." Marlene said honestly. "You should try smiling." she reached up on her tiptoes to pat Axel's arm. There was a warmth in her touch Axel hadn't felt in years.

"I'll do that." he grinned, then dropped to his knees to be level with the girl. "But only if you go right home from here, okay? There's a lot of bad out there and if I ever show up to work and find your picture in a pile of paper, I probably won't smile for a long time." he said. The girl tilted her head.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I'm a homicide detective." Axel said, not bothering to explain. He knew the girl was street smart enough to at least know what homicide was.

"Oh..." she said, almost sounding sympathetic. "Well... the dead ones aren't all that bad." she shrugged. For a split second, Axel wondered if he'd gotten someone pregnant and was looking at his daughter. Without warning, Marlene wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, pressing her rosy cheeks against his own ashen ones.

"When you peel back the layers of hurt and sadness... the world really is a beautiful place." she whispered. "Maybe someday you'll see it." and without another word, Marlene detached herself from Axel and began walking away, her little white sneakers splashing in the puddles as she went. Axel stared after her, still feeling the little girl's touch surging in his veins, giving him strength that no alcohol could ever provide. He stood, watching as Marlene turned a corner at the end of the street, then looked down to find a small, plastic flower keychain. Axel was almost certain she'd left it intentionally. Smiling, he clipped it onto his key ring. _"If anyone gives me shit for this..."_ he thought _"I'll break every bone in their body."_

As anticipated, the rest of the day dragged on painfully slow. Axel got screamed at over the phone, had someone break down and bawl their head off at the news, and several people just hung up after Axel barely got out the words "Twilight Town Police". When Seifer came stumbling into his office around 7:30, Axel had given up trying to get anything useful out of the people on the painfully long list and had taken to bouncing a tennis ball off the only bare wall in his office.

"Having fun?" Seifer asked sarcastically.

"Time of my life, chief. You?" Axel grinned a bit. Seifer groaned, reaching out to catch the neon yellow ball as it bounced it's way back towards Axel. It slipped through his fingers briefly, but Seifer managed to catch it with his other hand, setting it on the desk's cluttered surface.

"The investigation." he reminded the redhead lounging lazily in the large black armchair. Without a word, Axel lifted the telephone receiver and held it out to Seifer, an expectant look on his face. The chief only scowled and smacked it away.

"You're useless as tits on a bull, Crowley!" he called over his shoulder, leaving Axel's office. Axel picked up the tennis ball and resumed throwing it against the wall.

"So they tell me." he muttered to himself. As Seifer stalked out of the room, Kairi slipped in, dressed in long, loose navy blue slacks and a baggy white turtleneck sweater. _"Even skanks aren't immune to the cold..." _Axel thought to himself, looking her up and down.

"Axel?" she asked, bringing the detective's attention from her hips to her face.

"Yes, darlin'?" he responded. Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, Kairi motioned with her thumb over her shoulder.

"There's someone here to see you." she murmured. Axel cocked his head a tad, wondering who could possibly be looking for him. That's when a man in a black pantsuit stepped into the office. Kairi excused herself, Axel's gaze following her as he leaned sideways to see around the hulking man standing in the way of his view. The man in the suit gave Axel a cross look.

"What?" Axel cried. "She looks good when she's actually wearing _clothes_." he defended. The man's face didn't change.

"Mr. Carlson is waiting in the car for you, sir." he spoke in a low tone. Axel straightened up in his chair and immediately began shoving papers into his briefcase, setting a few piles aside, cramming the list of names and numbers into the pocket of his pants. He looked up at the man.

"You don't have to like... wait for me. I'm not a child, I can get out to the car myself." he said. The man seemed to twitch,but nodded, turning on his heel and exiting the office. When Axel had gathered his things, he shut off the light and pulled the door of his office closed. The was about to lock it when he caught the faint smell of expensive cologne on the recycled air of the building. He glanced to his left, gasping when he discovered Zexion's face not five inches from his own. His partner was leaning over his shoulder, a disapproving look on his face.

"What gives?" asked Zexion. Axel stared at him a moment, trying to come up with something good.

"I don't feel good." he lied lamely. "I think I'm getting sick."

"And the guy in the suit doesn't have anything to do with your leaving early?" Zexion's eyes narrowed accusingly. Axel locked the door of his office and began walking down the hall, Zexion trailing behind him.

"He's so not my type, Zex." he joked. "I'll be in tomorrow."

"Whatever." Zexion muttered, turning away from Axel. Brushing off his partner's irritation with him, Axel stepped out of the doors and into the pouring rain, making his way to the dark sedan, barely visible against the saturated asphalt. The door already open, Axel slipped into the back seat, slamming the door shut as the driver tapped on the accelerator. He found himself staring into Riku's deep, beautiful eyes. Riku only smiled.

"You're picking me up from work now?" Axel asked, shrugging out of his coat, the heat of the car so very welcomed. Riku's smile widened.

"On some days." he said, his soft voice barely audible over the hum of rubber on asphalt.

"So why today?" Axel asked. "I don't have any leads, everyone I got ahold of can't come in for questioning till tomorrow..." he listed. Riku held up a hand to silence him.

"It's not police business today." he said kindly. Axel scowled.

"I haven't been home yet. I have no clothes." he said, now noticing his own mounting smell.

"I know that. Which is why a clean change of clothes is waiting for you in the guest bedroom you slept in last night." the silver-haired man beamed. Axel only sighed, defeated.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

This is what greatness looks like, people.

Haha.

Kidding.

But seriously, I like it so far.  
Kinda have more of an idea of what I want to do with it, so...this is good, yesh?

REVIEWS!


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